Shock-absorber



H. H. RUSSELL.

SHOCK ABSRBEH.

APPUCATION FILED APR.30, 1917.

1,338,449, Patented. Mm, 9, 1920.

- which the following is a specification, refer- HENRY Hoa'roN RUSSELL,or BASLEY, IOWA.

sHocK-ABsoRBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 30, 1917. Serial No. 165,491. 4

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, HENRY I-IoRToN RUS- SELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bagley, State of Iowa, have invented certain usefulImprovements in Shock-Absorbers, of

ence being had therein to the accompanying drawing. A

The invention relates to bicycles, motor cycles orthe like, and moreparticularly to the class of Shock absorbers for such cycles.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a shock absorberof this. character wherein 'the same can be mounted on the front andrear forks of the bicycle, motorcycle or the like, and will serve toabsorb all shocks and jars incident to the travel thereof,-therebyassuring comfort to the rider and also relieving any excessive strainsupon the frame of the bicycle, motorcycle or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shock absorber ofthis character wherein the necessity of altering the frame and forks ofthe bicycle, motorcycle or the like is eliminated' and permits theconvenient application to or the removal therefrom. I

A further object of the invention is lthe provision of a shock absorberof this character which is simple in construction, thorougly reliableand eiiicient in operation, strong, durable and inexpensive inmanufacture.

@ther objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter set forth.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of 4parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claim. f

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1-is a side elevation of a bicycle,-

showing the shock absorber constructed in accordance with the inventionapplied;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the yoke of the shock absorber;

F ig. 5 is a plan view of the rear wheel yoke of the shock absorber.

front wheel in the county of Guthrie and Similar reference charactersindicate cor- Patented Mar. 9, 1921).

responding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing ih detail, A designates the frame of a bicyclewhich is of the ordinaryv well known construction, although the same may-be ofthe motorcycle type; B, the front fork; C, the rear forks and D.the steering handle-bars which permit the steering of the front fork B,the shock absorber being applied to the front and rear forks in a mannerpresentlyv described.

The shock absorber comprises a substantially U-shaped front wheel yoke10 which 'has its side limbs 11 pivoted at 12 to t-he lower ends of thevfront fork B, the pivots 12 being removed from the free ends of thelimbs 11, in which is journaled the axle 13 of the front steeringwheel'14, while at the closed end-of the yoke 11 -are connected coiledtension springs 15 which are also connected to a clamp 16 engaged on thecrown of the front fork B, the springs 15 being provided with hooks afor detacha-bly engaging in any one of the holes b in the closed end ofsaid yoke, as shown in F ig. 1 of the drawing.

On opposite sides of the rear fork Care arranged the levers 17 of therear shock absorber, which levers are pivoted at 18,

spaced from the rear ends, to the rear forks- C, and in the rear ends ofthese levers is' journaled the axle 19 of the rear wheel 20, whileconnected to the forward ends of said levers 17 are coiled tensionsprings 21, the same being also connected to a clamp 22 engaged on thebar of the frame A in which is mounted the stem of the seat 23, asusual. The springs 21 being provided with the hooks a for detachableengagement in any one of the series of holes o insaid levers, it will benoted that the springs 115 and 21 can be readily adjusted. l

`-It will be observed that the means provided for adjusting the pointsof connection of the springs 16 and 21 with their respective yokes serveto provide for increasing or diminishing the leverage which the yokeshave upon the springs. This construction makes for the attainment of auniform resisting power to be had by though the load carried upon theseatm23 be light or heavy. For example, if\ a light the springs,

person be riding on the seat 23, the springs 15 and 21/ should beengaged with the outermost holes b, as shown in Fig. 1. If a heavierperson should desire to ride on the seat 23, the springs may be detachedand engaged With one or the bther of the holes b nearer the pivotalconnections l2 and 18, whereupon the leverage previously had on thesprings is reduced and their power thereby to resist the heavier Weightincreased.

It will be noted that the front and rear Wheels of the bicycle areyieldably supported by the shock absorbers and all shocks and jars willbe absorbed thereby When the bicycle is in use, thus relieving anystrains from the frame of the latter and also avoiding undue shocks andjars to the rider thereof. Y

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing,

the construction and operation of the herein described, shock absorberwill be readily apparent and, therefore, a more extended explanation hasbeen omitted.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

The combination with a bicycle frame having front and rear forks andfront and 'rear Wheels, of U-shaped yokcs straddling D the Wheels andconnected with the axles thereof, means for pivotally connecting the tWoyokes respectively With the said front and rear forks, the said pivotalconnections standing nearer those ends of the yokes connecting v'viththe axles than at the remaining ends of the yokes, clamps attachedto"=the bicycle frame, and springs each having one end connected withone of the clamps and the remaining end terminating in a hook, the yokesadjacent those ends remote from the axles being formed With a pluralityof holes engageable bythe hooks carried by the springs, whereby thoseends of the springs connecting with the yokes may have the points ofsuch connections varied to increase or diminish the leverage on thesprings for the useful purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afhx my signature.

HENRY HoRToN RssELL.

